In “special’ Steamboat Springs, Mick Dierdorff goes from house framer to Olympian

26-year-old Steamboat Springs native Mick Dierdorff burst onto the Snowboard Cross scene after a monster 2016 season. Dierdorff had a career-best fifth place finish at the World Cup in La Molina in 2015 and a sixth-place finish at Feldberg in 2016. He carried that momentum all the way into 2018, finishing with five top-10 World Cup finishes this season.

Dierdorff describes Steamboat Springs as his snowboarding mecca.

“Steamboat was a very special place to grow up. The Winter Sports Club in Steamboat has a lodge at the base of Howelsen Hill and there are flags from every Olympian that has been from Steamboat,” Dierdorff told NBC. “I’ve been looking at that my whole life, and I always thought how cool it would be to have my name up there. That was one of the first things that hit home when I found out I made the Olympic team: I’m finally going to have my flag up there. It’s such a good feeling.”

Dierdorff, whether it’s in snowboarding, hunting or fishing, attributes his success to his work ethic; standing by a simple motto that he applies to every aspect of life.

“Give it your best,” Dierdorff told Steamboat Magazine. “No matter what you do in life, it is always more satisfying to know that you gave it your all rather than wondering how things could be different if you had tried a little harder.”

When he isn’t snowboarding or strength training, Dierdorff frames houses for a living and is studying to complete his business degree at the University of Utah.

Dierdorff will compete in the Snowboard Cross event on February 15, an event in which the United States men’s team medaled in 2014 after Alex Deibold won the Bronze medal in Sochi.